September 6th, 2024

Week 4 - New Skills and Scales!

Week 4 Newsletter

Week 4 was a short one but we accomplised a lot in the band hall this week! Beginners are learning more new skills each week in preparation for their first song "Hot Cross Buns". Concert and Symphonic band learned "You Belong with Me" by Taylor Swift!

If you haven't heard practicing at home yet, you should now! Just like math and english class, we have homework in band. Whether there is an assignment due for class or not, students should be practicing each day a little at a time. Beginners start with as little as 5 minutes and Concert & Symphonic Band start with as little as 15 minutes. Students who practice - IMPROVE!!

Band fees are due today! Payments can be made on School Cash online or by Cash or Check. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns about fees. Use the quicklinks below to jump to the section for your student!

Action Items - Urgent, please complete!

Action Items - Urgent, please complete!

Complete the 24-25 Band Google Forms PAST DUE! Please Complete!
Band Fees due today! Pay on September 6th by cash, check (to Bedford JH Band) or through School Cash Online. Reach out with any concerns!
Join Remind for your student's class!
Concert and Symphonic Band students need their Flip Folders and Lyres! Flip folders and lyres will be a grade Monday 9/9.

Beginner Band

Beginners have added more new skills this week! We have started to move on to full or partially assembled instruments while making our sounds. Many classes have started learning some of their finger positions and even how to articulate! Encourage your beginner to practice 5-10 mintes each day on these new skills. It's ok to make the wrong sound or be inconsistent here at the beginning! As long as they keep trying and make small improvements each day they are making progress!

Questions to ask your beginner:

What part of your tongue do you use to articulate (or tongue)?
How many notes/sounds can you play?
Can you play some or all of hot cross buns? (only some classes learned this this week!)

Upcoming Dates:

9/13/24 - Time Signature Quiz
9/13/24 - Performance of 8 counts of articulation
9/20/24 - Band Hall Practice and Pizza - $5
Date change: Beginner Band Concert has moved from October 16th to October 15th. Please mark your calendars!

Concert Band

This week Concert Band added two new pep tunes to their list! Seven Nation Army is off to a great start and You Belong With Me is getting off the ground! You should be hearing these pep tunes at home! We are working on improving our rhythm and note recognition by practicing them each week in class. We are spinning the wheel of names to hear individuals play through their line 11 scale pattern which is due this Monday! We will get to switch over to working on Fall Concert Music very soon!

Questions to ask your band student:

How many assignments have you submitted? (should be at least 2!)
Are you ready to play line 11 in class if your name gets chosen?
What's your favorite pep tune we're playing? Play it for us!

Upcoming Dates:

9/9/24 - Seven Nation and Line 11 Scale Pattern Due in person or on Canvas
9/13/24 - 9th Grade Night at LD Bell - Performance Informational Letter
9/18/24 - First Bedford Junior High Pep Rally
9/20/24 - Band Hall Practice and Pizza - $5

Symphonic Band

This week Symphonic band reviewed all of our Pep Tunes (10+ songs) and made sure that they are performance ready! In sectionals, students are chair testing weekly and learning more of their HEB Honor Band music. Remember that sectionals happen every week and are a graded event. Next week we will begin learning new music for our Fall Concert.

Questions to ask your band student:

Can you perform all of your Pep Tunes at a mastery level (95%)?
How many scales have you passed off? Students must have 4 scales passed off by the end of the six weeks.
How successful were you at sightreading "Joy" in class on Friday?

Upcoming Dates:

9/9/24 - Symphonic Band sectional schedule continue, ALL drumline, concert and symphonic band, will meet each Wednesday at 7:45 for drumline rehearsal.
9/13/24 - 9th Grade Night at LD Bell - Performance Informational Letter
9/18/24 - First Bedford Junior High Pep Rally
9/20/24 - Band Hall Practice and Pizza - $5

Jazz Band

Our second rehearsal is in the books and we have started our second tune, Night Train! It's not too late to join if you are interested. Ask for music before/after school and show up for Friday morning rehearsals to be part of our Jazz Band! Students should be coming home with a copy of their jazz calendar (mostly rehearsal dates) and their membership guidelines.

One of our first events for Jazz Band is a field trip to the Denton Jazz and Arts Festival! This is a FREE field trip for all jazz band students who have paid their jazz band fee. Click here for details and RSVP.

Jazz Band Resources: